mitchell



BOOKSTAND 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 llll "ll-ill Jasse (/5 Mitchell,

J. A. MITCHELL Filed June 4, 1925 Aug. 10 1926.

Patented Aug. 16, 1926.

UNITED stares JESSE A. MITCHELL, OF JASPER, FLORIDA.

BOOKS'IAND.

Application filed June 4,

My invention relates toimprovements in book stands particularly intended for supporting large, heavy and otherwise un- \vieldy books, charts, etc, in position to make copies therefrom, entries therein or thereon and for other purposes, my principal object being to provide a stand capa ble of various adjustments whereby a book,v chart or the like positioned thereon may be moved quickly and easily to different positions for the convenience of a person using the same.

In addition it. is my object to provide an adjustable guide device for followingthe lines of the pages of a book supported on the stand and to provide a simple, eflicient, conveniently manipulated step by step operating means for said guide device.

Further, it is my object to provide a book stand embodying the aforementioned beneficial. features which is cheap and easy to produce, strong, durable and thoroughly reliable and efficient in use.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views 1 is. a front elevation of a book stand embodying the novel and essential features of my invention, a book being shown supported on said stand;

Fin. 2, an end view of the stand;

Fig. 3, an enlarged end view of the slidinn carriage;

Fig. 4, an enlarged front view of the slidable carriage;

Fig. 5, an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

6, an. enlarged top plan ofa portion of the tiltable support for the slidable carriage:

Fig. 7, an enlarged perspective, with parts broken away, ofa portion of the step by step operating mechanism for the line guide device;

Fig. 8, an enlarged detail perspective showing the cooperating pawls of the line guide device and the manner in which the latter is mounted for adjustments thereof;

1925. Serial No. 34,893.

Fig. 9, a detail view showing a means which may be employed to positively lock the line guide device in certain of its adjusted positions;

Fig. 10, an enlarged detail view showing the manner in which the slidable carriage is connected to its tiltable support; and

Fig. 11, an enlarged detail section on the line 1111 of Fig. 2. 1

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1.010 designates a pair of hollow supporting standards rigidly connected together in spaced relation in any suitable manner as, for example, by a cross piece or pieces 11 and a box 12, the latter servinc; as a storage compartment. Foot pieces -10 are provided at the lower ends of said standards and carried by these foot pieces are casters 10 whereby the stand as an entirety may readily be moved over the floor to any position desired.

Vertically slidable within the standards 10 10 are bars 13-13, respectively, provided along their rear faces with rack teeth 14 en ra ged by pinions 15 on a horizon tal shaft 16 journaled in suitable bearings on the standards 1010 whereby rotation of said shaft will raise or lower said bars as is apparent. A conventional ratchet device indicated generally at 17 is provided on shaft 16 for rotating the same.

Projecting forwardly from the front faces of the bars 1313 at their upper ends are extensions 18 formed either as integral parts of said bars or, as herein shown, as separate parts'in the form of blocks bolted to said bars, the standards 10-10 being: slotted in their front walls at their upper ends as at 19 to receive said extensions whereby the latter are prevented from interfering; with vertical movements of the bars within the standards.

Rack bars 20-2O are pivoted as at 21 to the upper ends of the bars 13-13, respectively, and projecting from said rack bars are slotted arms 22 22, respectively, which lie against the inner faces of the extensions 1818, respectively, and have bolts carried by said extensions passing therethrough .and equipped with thumb nuts 23 whereby said arms may be clamped against said extensions to secure the rack bars either in horizontal position or in different positions inclined to the horizontal, said rack bars extending; fore and aft with respect to the stand and being tiltable in the manner indicated for a purpose whichwill-p'resently appear.

A support A for a slidable book rack is mounted on the rack bars 202O for fore and aft movement along the latter, said support consisting of a pair 'of uprights 2424, one above each rack bar, connected together by longitudinal spacing and bracing rails 25 and having projecting forwardly from their front faces, at their lower ends, a platform 26 carryin a pairv of longitudinally extending. track rails 27-27 formed preferably of angle iron. Carried by the uprights 1313 and by the platform26, are pinions 28 and 29,1'espectively, which mesh with the teeth of therack bars*20-'-20, respectively, and serve as rollers mounting-the book rack support on the bars 13 for movement along the same. The frontpair of pinions, 29-29, arer'mounted on a shaft 30 journaled in suitable 'bearings 31 on-the platform 26, and a conventional ratchet device 32' is provided onsaid shaft for rotating the same thereby to effect rotation of said pinions to cause the book rack support to be moved forwardly orrearwardly to any position desired along the rack bars '2020.

In order to hold the support A against upward movement away-from the rack bars 202O and toguide same in its movement along said rack bars, rollers 83 are mounted in suitablebrac-kets 34'projecting from the support and are 4 engaged with the under facesof side flanges 3501? the respective rack bars, the brackets 34' preferably including adjustable bearings as shown for the shafts of the rollers whereby the latter may be adji'iste'd-to take upany play between-thepinions 28 29 andthe rack bars 2020 and thus maintain afree running yet firm assembly of the support with said rackbars.

A book rack B is mounted on the support a A for sliding movement along the same, said rack consisting of a vertical, preferably elongated rectangular frame portion composed of uppery-loweran'd intermediate longitudinally extending strips or bars36 connected by vertical strips or bars 37, and an elongated substantially horizontal platform portion-38 extendingforwardlyfrom the lower part of said verticalportion. On the under side ofsaid platforinportion are two or more blocks 39 carrying rollers 40 which rest on-the angleirontrackrails 27-27 and thus supportthe rackB as an entirety for free longitudinal movement along said' rails, a knob or-- other suitable form of thumb grip, device 41 being-provided "on the front of the platform portion '38 to facilitate such movements. Preferably the rack- B normally; is .inclined rearwardly and isarranged -to restyagainst and a slide along-l the railsf25of the support A, H

The; platform portion 38- of .1 the-i ack- -Bj is adapted to serve as a support for the! lower edge of a book while the vertical frame portion composed ofthe' strips 36 and 87 is adapted to serve as a support for the front and back covers and the pages of the book, and when a book is thus placed on said rack, as shown in Fig, 1, it is manifest that by reason of the structural arrangement thus far described the rack B, and consequently any book supported thereon, may be adjusted vertically, tilted up or down, moved forwardly or rearwardly and also moved longitudinally.

At each end. of the rack B I provide a device for following the lines of the pages of a book that may be supported on said rack, either for copying'or for other purposes, These devices are right and left hand, respectively, but in all other respects are duplicates of one another, so'that' only on; will be described in detail. It consists of three bars 42-4344' rectangular in cross section and arranged side by side in abutting relation, the two outside bars having teeth 45 formed along their front edges, while the front edgeof the middle bar 43 is smooth and lies normally inward with respect to the teethof the outside bars. These bars, collectively, are formed'near their upper and lower ends with circular bosses 46-received within circularbearing members 47 at the free ends of a pair of bracket arms 48 projecting forwardly from upper and lower portions of the rackllsaid'bars thus being attached to said raclefor collective rotation (see Fig. 7). Two of said bars, 43 and 44, are adapted tobe moved longitudinally while the other, 42, is adapted-tobe held against longitiiidinz-ilmovement, this being effected by a pair of collars 49 atlixed tobar 42 and-en gaging the respective-bearing members 47. Oneofithesecollars, the lowermost'one, has an arm 50 extending therefrom towards the front of the platform 38, and engaged in a slot 51 in-the free end of'said armis a pin at one end of a rod that is journaled for longitudinal sliding movement insuitable bearings 54 on the-front of said platform, so-that byshifting said'rod rotation is imparted through the arm 50, tothe bars 42-4344. Rod 53 extends to a point near the middle of'the platform 38 andis-there provided with a suitable handle or other form of hand grip device 55 to facilitate shifting of the same.

Rotatably journaled in the bearings 54 on the front of the platform 38 is a pair of rods-56, 57 having 'angularextensions 58', 59, respectively, projecting towards the lower ends of the bars-43', 44, respectively. The said lower ends of said bars are formed with spaced flanges GO- 60. 61.61-, respectively between which the free- 'ends' -of the respective extensions 58, 59 are received, so that" by rotatinmeither of said rods 56 or*-57' its associated bar 43 or it, as the case may be, is moved longitudinally. The spaced flange connections between the bars 43, it and the extensions 58. 59, resgectively are for the purpose of permitting rotation of the bars 42-4l3--44l collectively as aforementioned while maintaining connections between the extensions 58, 539 and the bars 4 -3 44 whereby said bars may be moved longitudinally. The rods 56 57 like rod 53, are extended to a point near the middle of the platform 38 and are there provided with handles or other suitable forms of hand grip devices (32 for effecting their rotation.

The fixed bar 42 carries one or more pins 68 engaged in an inclined slot or slots 64;, as the case may be, in the middle bar 43 so that when said middle bar is moved longitudinally in one direction, upwardly in this instance, it is caused to be moved forwardly until its front smooth face comes flush with or slightly beyond the teeth of the bars i 441:, and when it is moved in the opposite direction it is caused to recede to its 1101 position with its front smooth face bel'i said teeth.

A sleeve 65 snugly embraces the bars 4-2-- 43 and a l and is slidahle along the same, said sleeve having projecting from the front thereof a pair of spaced flanges between i which are pivoted two pawls l3? and 68 the book rack B is mounted a conventional spring drum 71 having; wound thereon a cord or tape 72 that is connected at its free end with a pin '73 projectingfrom one of the flanges 66 of sleeve 65, the function of said drum being to urge said. sleeve normally towards its uppermost limit of sliding movement along the bars 4:2 l34l-4-, this operation occurring whenever the middle bar 472:3 is projected outward to engage the overlying portions of the pawls G7, 68 and disengage them from the teeth 4-5 of the bars 42 and it. "When the pawls are engaged with the teeth 45. drum 71 exerts tirough the cord or tape an upward pull on the sleeve 65 which pull cooperates with said pawls to hold said sleeve in any position to which it may be moved along the bars 4J2 -3-%l4-, it being observed that sleeve 65 is movable down the bars 497 33-44 in a step by step manner merely by'reciproeating bar 4%, the action being as follows: A downward movement of bar 44% as ellected by rod 57 forces pawl 68 and consequently the sleeve (35 downward, oawl 67 at the same pawls from the teeth of bars i2--il and the drum 71 then will act to draw the sleeve entirely to the top to again be 21"Io.(,(l down the same. i

(in the inner face of sleeve 65 are grooves HA 7-H 31 1 1 H T y c, 11, 1 4;. Mann \viiltl is monster ioi sic ant alt sliding movement a plate 75, having voted thereto at '26 of the bars in position n step by ste fashion for vertical swingmovement line g idc rule or strip T7, 78 being pnvidedto secure raid rule or strip in any vertically swung t n ay be adjusted. The

ti-on to which it v step movement of sleeve 65 a l-.2--il3 and l l is? for the manrtest .rpose of moving the rule or strip 77 wnward to follow succeeoinp; es of a of a book supported on the rack B, while the fore and sit adpistment of said rule permitted by reason of the sliding con nection of plate 75 with the grooves 74: is for the purpose of accommodating the rule or strip to books of different thicknesses. lf for any reason the lines of the book pages do not extend truly horizontally when the book is positioned on the rack. B the rule may then be swung about its pivot 76 parallel to the lines. When it is desired to turn a page of the book, rod 53 is shifted to ro tate the bars 4:2- l3+liand thus swing the rule or strip 77 outwardly to a position where it will not interfere with turning of the book pages.

The frictional engagement between plate 75 and the grooves 74 is sufficient under most conditions to maintain any fore and aft adjustment of the rule or strip 77, but if desired I may employ a positive lock for said plate to hold it in adjusted position. Such a lock is illustrated in 9 and consists of a pin 7 9 mounted for vertical movement in guides 80 carried by the sleeve 65, said pin normally being urged upward by a spring 81 and having at its lower end a lat eral extension adapted for engagement with any one of a number of teeth 83 formed along the lower edge of plate 75. Merely by pressing; downward on this pin the lateral extension 82 may be disengaged from any given tooth and the plate 75 may then be moved fore or aft as desired, and then by releasing the pressure on said pin it will spring upward and bring the lateral extension into engagement with another tooth, thereby locking the plate against further sliding movement.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying draw- 7 ings it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of my improvements will be fully understood. It is desired to point out, however, that various changes and desirable additions may be made in and to the structure shown'within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the ppended claims.

I claim:

1. In a book stand, a book rack, a line guide rule, means in the form of a plurality of toothed bars for moving said rule step by step, said rule being carried by said bars and means for rotating said bars to swing said rule away from the rack to permit the pages of a book supported thereon to be turned.

2. In a book stand, a book racln-a pair of toothed bars carried by said rack, one of said bars being immovable longitudinally and the other being reciprocable, a sleeve around said bars, a pair of pawls carried by said sleeve cooperating with the teeth of said bars, respectively, whereby recipro cation of said reciprocable bar causes said sleeve to be moved step by step along said bars, a line guide rule carried by said sleeve, a third bar between said first mentioned bars, said pawls overlying said third bar, means for moving said third bar to disengage said pawls from the teeth of said first mentioned bars, and means operating when said third bar is so moved to shift said sleeve along said bars.

3. In a book stand, a book rack, a pair of toothed bars carried at one end of said rack, one of said bars being immovable longitudinally and the other being reciprocable a sleeve around said bars, a pair of pawls carried by said sleeve cooperating with the teeth 01 said bars, respectively, whereby reciprocation of said reciprocable bar causes said sleeve to be moved step by step along said bars, a line guide rule carried by said sleeve, a third bar between said first mentioned bars, said pawls overlying said third bar, a pin and slot connection between said longitudinally immovable bar and said lastmentioned bar whereby longitudinal movement oi the latter causes the same to be pro ected laterally to disengage said pawls from. the teeth oi said first mentioned bars, and means operating when said pawls are dis engaged from the teeth of said toothed bars to shift said sleeve along said bars.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JESSE A. MITCHELL. 

